01 · the cities
Miami
Miami is Spanish before it's English, salsa before it's small talk, and a cortadito before it's a coffee. South Beach Art Deco glows pink at night, Wynwood is a city-sized mural, and the Cuban sandwiches in Little Havana could end fights. Summer is bath-warm ocean and ceiling fans turned up high, and October feels like everywhere else's perfect August. Bring linen.
full dispatch→Tampa
Tampa is the Cuban sandwich's other home (yes, there's a rivalry with Miami), with Ybor City's brick streets, rooster gangs, and cigar shops giving the city a flavor all its own. Bayshore Boulevard claims one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the country, perfect for sunset jogs. The beaches are a short drive west, the Lightning play hockey in the swamp, and the winters feel like other cities' best Aprils.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,665/mo
$1,996/mo
$669/mo less than Miami (34%)
Median home price
Median home price
$565k
$374k
$191k less than Miami
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$5,668/mo
$6,337/mo
Tampa has $669/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
272 days
243 days
29 fewer than Miami
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
3 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Miami edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
77 / 100
62 / 100
15.0 pts behind Miami
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
167 routes
68 routes
99 fewer direct routes than Miami
Metro size
Metro size
6.2M metro
3.3M metro
Miami has 20.5x more events per month than Tampa.
the verdict
3
Miami
categories won
3
Tampa
categories won
Miami wins on weather and lifestyle, Tampa wins on money. Dead even.
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